Occupy Our Homes DC helps save Dawn Butler from eviction

Occupy Our Homes DC wins another victory. At 9 AM, Monday, April 2nd, J.P. Morgan Chase directed U.S. Marshals to evict Dawn Butler from her home on Maryland Avenue NE in Capitol Hill. With a strong show of force over 40 activists were present and determined to defend Ms. Butler's home from eviction. Metro Washington Police and the moving crew had arrived while activists sang songs and blocked the staircase. At the same time, Ms. Butler was at Landlord and Tenant court in Northwest Washington and successfully requested that the judge call off the eviction.

Representatives from other housing activist groups including City Life/Vida Urbana and the Backbone Campaign spoke out against unfair evictions at the home. Bertina Jones, who joined with Occupy Our Homes DC to get her house back from Freddie Mac in February, also spoke at the home and expressed solidarity with Ms. Butler's case. The movement for housing for all is growing in the District of Columbia. Ms. Butler has been a tenant since 2006 and following the foreclosure of her landlord has tried to exercise her rights as a tenant. There will be a court date this spring where the merits of the case will be heard. The spring offensive is underway.

More information will be coming shortly, but Occupy Our Homes DC has helped DC resident Dawn Butler get a stay to her eviction. She had been scheduled to be evicted this morning. This is a great victory for Dawn and Occupy Our Homes DC!

WASHINGTON DC-­‐ 9am Monday April 2nd, the U.S. Marshals are set to evict Dawn Butler from the home that she has lived in since 2006. Violating her rights under DC law, J.P. Morgan Chase denied Ms. Butler her right to buy her house when her landlord went into foreclosure. The bank railroaded her case through the courts. Now she is facing eviction.

However, she will not be leaving. Ms. Butler and Occupy Our Homes have teamed up to keep her in her home.

Dawn is just one of millions of Americans who have been taken advantage of by greedy banks. Communities of color were disproportionally affected by the 2008 financial collapse. Between 2001 and 2009 median black wealth fell 83%. This is due in no small part to that community being targeted by banks for predatory loans and unfair evictions.

“Why should I move? I have not done anything wrong. I feel like when I walk back into that court I am going to have even more strength. I’m not alone. At first I was embarrassed, because the Marshals are going to be outside, but now I say, ‘come outside Marshals, because this is what you are going to see, you are going to see us fighting back.’”

Around the country a movement has been gathering steam to fight back against predatory banks that are stealing peoples home and tearing apart our communities. Housing activists have successfully blocked evictions and even moved homeless families into vacant homes.

Just last month Bertina Jones, a homeowner in Bowie, Maryland, joined Occupy Our Homes DC to successfully block her own eviction. Ms. Jones’ story serves as a model for people facing eviction around the country.

“They will try to isolate you and make you feel so embarrassed. And you don’t know what to do, and you don’t have a lawyer, and they have a whole legal team. And you feel like you’re fighting this big giant alone. But you’re not alone, and if we stand together they can’t win. And that’s why I’m out supporting Dawn Butler.”

Housing is a human right. The 99% will no longer allow profits to subvert people’s needs. The spring offensive is underway.